A watchful volunteer mans a stretch of beach near Queenssa国际传媒� Park in Oak Bay, where fisheries officials hope a young elephant seal will just stay put.
If he doesnsa国际传媒檛 act up or sa国际传媒済o roguesa国际传媒� like he did on Sunday, April 28, Emerson can stay and finish his moult there, says Paul Cottrell, marine mammal coordinator with Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Cottrell and Emerson go way back. Far further than his stay in Greater Victoria waters. Last year, this time of year, Emerson finished his sa国际传媒渃atastrophic moultsa国际传媒� not far from where he snoozed on Monday.
sa国际传媒淲here he is currently is not the ideal spot because itsa国际传媒檚 so busy,sa国际传媒� Cottrell told the Oak Bay News. sa国际传媒淭he public is amazing they all love Emerson and theysa国际传媒檙e keeping their distance and being respectful.sa国际传媒�
The roster of volunteers take turns offering information to passersby and keeping an eye that Emerson doesnsa国际传媒檛 wander into the street, as he did the day before. Beach Drive was closed for several hours before Oak Bay police sa国际传媒� much like their peers at Saanich police a couple weeks earlier sa国际传媒� helped DFO steer young Emerson back into the water Sunday.
sa国际传媒淲e may have to relocate him if he does that again. Wesa国际传媒檇 prefer not to have to move him but for his safety and the safety of the public. Hesa国际传媒檚 not a small animal, hesa国际传媒檚 likely 500 pounds or so. Hesa国际传媒檚 very friendly for the most part but dogs and small children, if hesa国际传媒檚 startled, and of course cars, itsa国际传媒檚 not a good mix,sa国际传媒� Cottrell said.
sa国际传媒淚f he behaves we can let him finish his moult here. But Isa国际传媒檓 not sure thatsa国际传媒檚 going to happen.sa国际传媒�
The foray into the street and subsequent return to the water, did give Cottrell a chance to check out Emersonsa国际传媒檚 skin. He figures the young seal is halfway through his moult sa国际传媒� where their fur and top layer of skin comes off in large patches sa国际传媒� with at least two weeks left.
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A regular to the region, Emerson emerged at the Gorge Waterway in March. There he played in traffic too frequently and DFO relocated him to Barclay Sound. Within days, he reappeared in Greater Victoria, and has been beach-hopping since.
sa国际传媒淗esa国际传媒檚 been all over different beaches in Oak Bay and Victoria the past week and a half, two weeks. Itsa国际传媒檚 kind of like, itsa国际传媒檚 not Wheresa国际传媒檚 Waldo itsa国际传媒檚 Wheresa国际传媒檚 Emerson. So thatsa国际传媒檚 been a challenge,sa国际传媒� said Cottrell. sa国际传媒淥f course wesa国际传媒檙e following him with the volunteers, the caution tape to protect him and the public, but it is a challenge. Wesa国际传媒檙e hoping that he stays put here. He looks happy but wesa国际传媒檒l see. And again if he does get into trouble in terms of in a high traffic area, high people area, where hesa国际传媒檚 in the neighbourhood wesa国际传媒檙e going to relocate him if that happens again.sa国际传媒�
Itsa国际传媒檚 happened before where a harbour seal was struck by a car and killed.
sa国际传媒淲e donsa国际传媒檛 want that for Emerson and we donsa国际传媒檛 want that for people driving,sa国际传媒� Cottrell said.
While Emerson seems to seek out a crowd, this is the season of the elephant seal moult, and any could appear on beaches in the region.
Anyone who sees an animal being harassed or injured, or an injured or sick animal exhibiting unusual behaviour is asked to call the DFO 24-hour hotline at
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